"President Buhari Behind Crisis In Benue" - Middle Belt Leaders

[Edoman]

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has stated that President Muhammdu Buhari should be held responsible for any chaos in Benue State.

The group called the attention of the international community to alleged anarchy by the Buhari-led Federal Government in Benue State.

The Middle Belt group in a statement jointly signed by Yinka Odumakin South West, Senator Bassey Henshaw South South, Prof Chigozie Ogbu South East and Dr Isuwa Dogo, Middle Belt said the ongoing unrest in the state had the backing of the federal government.

The statement reads in full.

It has been reported that a ruthless and desperate plot was hatched this morning which involved drafting policemen from Abuja and neighbouring states to force the majority 22 members of the State Assembly out of the Assembly complex to pave way for the impeached Speaker,Hon Terkimbi Ikyange and six others to sit.

The gangsteric operations which was said to have been led by Benue State AC OPS,Emmanuel Adesina saw the minority members sitting without the mace and the clerk of the Assembly, suspending the majority 22 members and serving impeachment notice on Governor Ortom.

It is shameful that President Buhari who realised after about four months that his Inspector General of Police did not obey his directive to go and secure lives in Benue State and has done nothing to him is so eager to deploy policemen to the State to enforce illegality for political calculations.

We are worried that till date the President and his security team have yet to bring anybody to book for the killing of hundreds of people in Benue. They have only been putting pressure on the governor to suspend the anti-open grazing law and cede land for imperialistic and land -grabbing notion of ranches.

It is equally embarrassing that a supposed democratic government would resort to thuggish tactics where political engagement is needed.

This is a throwback to full blown dictatorship and the dark days of putting human beings in crate.

We want to let President Buhari know in advance that he will be held responsible for any breakdown of law and and order in Benue and any possible loss of lives .

We call on the international community to pay particular attention to the on-going subversion of the democratic process in Benue by the Buhari government.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Benue at this dark moment as evil walks on four legs across their state.

They must not flinch or surrender as this shall come to pass.

http://dailypost.ng/2018/07/30/buhari-behind-crisis-benue-middle-belt-leaders/

[Edoman]

The Presidency on Tuesday said there was no truth in the claims that President Muhammadu Buhari has a hand in the move by minority members of the Benue State House of Assembly to remove the state governor , Samuel Ortom. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr . Femi Adesina , said this in a statement made available to journalists 
Adesina said Buhari would never be part of any unconstitutional act . He added that any attempt to link the President with the inglorious past , when minority number of lawmakers removed governors, will not stick. 

The statement read , “ Even while attending the ECOWAS/ ECCAS Summit in Togo , strident attempts were being made to drag President Muhammadu Buhari into the unfolding drama between the executive and the legislature in Benue State.“ Statements have been issued by different interest groups , insinuating that the President may have a hand in the development in Benue . “ This is paranoia at its worst , coming from people who have wittingly positioned themselves against the clean - up of the country, and the way we do things . They prefer business as usual. 

“ President Buhari will never be part of any unconstitutional act , and any attempt to link him with the inglorious past , when minority number of lawmakers impeached governors, will not stick. It will simply be like water off the duck's back. 

“ Those with open minds know this , but those who cavil would rather source everything untoward to the President . It is murky ground in which they are now marooned, as fallout of their resistance to change in the country.
“ When it suits them , they preach separation of powers and true federalism, and in another breath , they call on the President to interfere brazenly in affairs at state level. 

“ President Buhari will always stand by all that is noble and fair , and will reject attempts to drag him into infamy .
“ People who stoke fires by deliberate acts of omission or commission , and then summon the President to come and put it out will find that this President will be guided by the Constitution at all times , no matter the attempt to entangle him in unwarranted controversies . ”

Benue: Buhari Will Never Be Part Of Any Unconstitutional Act – Presidency

https://punchng.com/benue-buhari-will-never-be-part-of-any-unconstitutional-act-presidency/

[Edoman]

Why Buhari wants governor Ortom impeached’ – Middle Belt group

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The Middle Belt Forum, MBF, yesterday, accused the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government of conspiracy to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State.
They said the move to impeach Ortom was to enable the Buhari-led government implement the avowed agenda of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association, MACBAN, with a view to repealing the anti-open-grazing law in operation in the state.
The Forum also indicted President Buhari’s administration of instigating lawlessness and anarchy with the planned impeachment of the governor in order to declare a state of emergency in the state.
These claims were put forth by the President of MBF, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, at a news conference in Abuja yesterday.
According to Bitrus, “Ortom’s ‘offence’ apparently appears to be his principled defence of the people of Benue State, which is his constitutional duty as chief security officer, from the sustained onslaught of herdsmen.
“The passage of the Anti-Open-Grazing law by the State House of Assembly which His Excellency assented to and has begun its implementation has been a bitter pill for the herdsmen to swallow and they have via their organisations, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN, threatened to make the state ungovernable.
“It would appear that the federal government is implementing an avowed agenda of Miyetti Allah by creating crisis to the disadvantage of Benue people.
“The Police takeover of the State House of Assembly to facilitate the conduct of proceedings by a minority eight members is calculated to instigate lawlessness, precipitate crisis and killings and use that as an excuse to declare a state of emergency in Benue State.
“We demand that President Buhari, should immediately rein in the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and direct him to recall all his men and women from illegal and unconstitutional conduct that can lead to breakdown of law and order in Benue State.
“Benue people, in particular and the entire people of Middle Belt in general, will perceive any breakdown of law and order by this illegality as a declaration of war on the people of the Middle Belt by the federal government.
“President Buhari should immediately remove the IGP. The role of the Police under Idris in an attempt to unconstitutionally change leadership of the National Assembly and their role in Benue saga are all steps that can inevitably lead to collapse of our democracy.
“This IGP lacks the mien and comportment to command a civil Police Force under a democratic dispensation.’’
The MBF also charged Benue State indigenes, Middle Belt and Nigerians in general “to be vigilant and to rise and defend our hard-earned democracy.”